Pharmacy and Medicine line Icon. On gray background.

Individuals who take prescriptions always need to be aware of staying safe while taking their medications.

Guthrie County Hospital Pharmacist Jaqueline Willms says that firstly, only health care providers like doctors and nurse practitioners can order these medications. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio that the instructions that come with the prescriptions is also a vital part in making sure you stay safe when taking them.

“It’s important to take your medications exactly as instructed to on your bottles to ensure that you don’t take too much medication, which can increase your risk of side effects or too little medication, which can improperly treat whatever it is you are taking the medication for.”

Willms mentions that it also is not recommended to take medications if they’ve expired, as it can’t be guaranteed to be effective. She adds that expired prescriptions should be disposed of properly, which can be done by taking them to a local pharmacy, hospital, or a county sheriff’s office where a disposal box can be found.